Environmental risk is state's get power

Date: December 05 2012

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW is concerned threatened species and iconic landscapes will be at risk if environmental approval powers are transferred to the states at the Council of Australian Governments meeting on Friday.

The NCC says COAG's business advisory forum will meet privately with Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday in a bid to push ahead with the transfer.

The Conservation Council's Pepe Clarke said the states could not be trusted to safeguard the interests of the environment.

"Transferring approval powers to the states could not come at a worse time for NSW," Mr Clarke said.

"The O'Farrell government has been winding back environmental protections ever since it came to power and is now overhauling state planning laws to help fast-track development.

"Giving these powers to the O'Farrell government presents a clear and present danger to the environment.

"The government is in the process of reducing environmental protections in the state's planning system, and is under pressure to weaken protections for threatened species and native vegetation."

Mr Clarke said the federal government played an essential role in environmental protection, especially in cases where states stand to benefit from royalties if a project is approved.

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